Disney’s prolific run of live-action remakes of animated classics continues this week with the theatrical release of Moana. The reimagining of the beloved 2016 animated film is far from the first attempt from the Mouse to attempt to breathe new life into established stories.

So far, the results of Disney’s efforts have been mixed to say the least. While some have been met with critical acclaim and gone on to become massive box office hits, others have languished in mediocrity and failed to recapture the magic of the animated classics they were based on.

Striking the right balance between nostalgia and innovation has proven to be one of Disney’s greatest challenges, with each remake facing the difficult task of honoring its source material while offering audiences something fresh. Some films have expanded on familiar stories with compelling performances, dazzling visuals, and thoughtful updates, while others have been criticized for feeling unnecessary or relying too heavily on spectacle over substance.

Despite the mixed reception, the studio has shown no signs of slowing down, with more live-action adaptations already in development. The continued popularity of these remakes has sparked ongoing debate among fans and critics alike about which films genuinely improve on the originals and which are better left in animation.

As Disney’s live-action catalog continues to grow, it’s the perfect time to look back at every remake released so far and see how they stack up against one another.

25

Alice Through the Looking Glass

As reflected by the steep drop-off in box office receipts compared to its predecessor, Alice Through the Looking Glass sits at the bottom of a list that includes a number of decidedly subpar movies. While Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland had its issues, director James Bobin’s sequel steers even further away from the magic of Lewis Carroll’s original novel by reducing rich source material to the most generic of family-friendly blockbusters. For better and for worse, the visual language of Burton’s film largely translates to this sequel, although it is now accompanied by drab and convoluted narrative and loud, garish filmmaking.

24

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Convoluted plotting simply hinders Maleficient: Mistress of Evil, another sequel on this list that falls short of its predecessor. Angelina Jolie admirably commits to the delightfully grim and quirky titular character, but even an actress of her caliber can’t salvage an overly long slog full of distracting CGI hindered by a convoluted, plot-hole-ridden story.

The tone is also all over the place in the film. While the first act plays like a run-of-the-mill fairy tale, the final act goes all out with an incredibly high kill count and an attempted genocide that is strangely brushed aside come the end of the film.

23

Peter Pan & Wendy

Peter Pan & Wendy takes a more thoughtful, emotionally grounded approach than most Disney remakes, exploring Wendy’s fear of growing up and giving Captain Hook more depth than many other adaptations. Director David Lowery brings a quieter, more reflective tone that distinguishes it from the animated classic, while the performances add genuine humanity. Visually, Neverland is beautiful, even if it lacks some of the original’s sense of wonder.

Despite its ambitions, the film often feels restrained to a fault. The slower pacing and subdued energy make it less adventurous than audiences might expect, and many iconic moments play with a surprising lack of spark or magic. Ultimately, Lowery doesn’t quite get the tone and pacing right as opting for a middle ground between magical escapism and meditative drama works less well than leaning more heavily toward one or the other would.

22

Pinocchio

Pinocchio may be about a wooden puppet who comes to life, but the 2022 live-action remake does anything but come to life. Robert Zemeckis’ film may be technically polished and feature a warm performance from Tom Hanks as Geppetto, but it is startling just how lifeless and devoid of that quintessential Disney magic the film is.

Despite mirroring the animated classic almost scene-for-scene, Pinocchio misses nearly every emotional beat it attempts to land. In addition to Geppetto and Pinocchio oddly not spending much on-screen time together, the visual effects, while impressive, feel strangely unsettling at times and deprive the film of the beating heart its titular character possesses.

21

Lady and the Tramp

Lady and the Tramp is one of the more forgettable entries on this list. Dropped on Disney+ on the inaugural day of the streaming service, director Charlie Bean’s film was the first Disney remake to not receive a theatrical release and got lost in the hype surrounding The Mandalorian at the time.

The film itself proves to be more sincere than cynical. Additional characters and layers to the story deepen the experience while not undermining or dramatically altering what made the classic film so beloved in the first place. However, as is often seen with many Disney live-action remakes, Lady and Tramp fails to reach emotional heights comparable to its source material. Some magic and charm are certainly lost in translation rendering this remake greatly inferior to its original.

20

Maleficent

Maleficentwarrants praise for being one of few films on this list willing to do something entirely different with its animated source material. Retelling Sleeping Beauty from villain’s perspective is clever premise evolving Maleficent from one-dimensional villain into complex antihero.

Angelina Jolie commands screen with delightfully villainous performance filled with charisma yet emotionally layered turn although disinteresting supporting characters pale in comparison. Overuse CGI aside, film offers beautiful imagery namely backgrounds resembling old matte paintings from past. Uninspired humor alongside overly silly tone coupled with several odd directing choices from Robert Stromberg detract from overall experience however.

19

102 Dalmatians

Glenn Close is once again undeniable highlight here as she chews scenery with infectious villainy portraying Cruella de Vil. Unfortunately movie surrounding her largely devoid wit charm characterizing predecessor.

Juvenile humor alongside predictable plotting render sequel more frustrating than fun showing even powerhouse like Close can’t salvage live-action adaptation overly cartoonish for own good.

18

Snow White

Marred by unnecessary off-screen controversy Snow White attempts modernize Disney’s first animated feature expanding heroine’s role shifting thematic focus toward leadership self-determination. Rachel Zegler delivers committed performance production features lavish costumes impressive set design several visually striking musical sequences.

Tonal inconsistencies divisive CGI choices changes don’t always strengthen narrative make remake feel conflicted between honoring original reinventing it. Backed cringe-worthy turn unnatural unintentionally funny Gal Gadot this remake fails justify why particular classic needed extensive rehaul.

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‘Mulan’‘
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Mulan deserves credit doing more just recreate animated classic beat-for-beat Director Niki Caro’s film boldly abandons songs Mushu much original comedic tone favor historical fantasy epic Action sequences stylish cinematography often breathtaking Liu Yifei brings quiet determination title role Rather copying animated film aims stand own serious dramatic interpretation.’

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This ambition admirable execution leaves story feeling emotionally distant Portraying Mulan naturally gifted outset weakens underdog journey defined original Combined thin character development lack memorable humor heart remake feels markedly hollow compared animated original.’

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‘The Little Mermaid’‘
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